Walter Moers books

Walter Moers is a German author and illustrator best known for the Zamonia series, a collection of fantastical novels set in a richly imagined fictional continent populated by bizarre creatures.

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
A Wild Ride Through the Night 2001 Buy

Zamonien Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Kapteeni Sinikarhun 13 ½ elämää 1999 N/A
The 13½ Lives of Captain Bluebear 1999 Buy
Ensel e Krete: Una storia di Zamonia 2000 N/A
Ensel und Krete 2000 Buy
Rumo & His Miraculous Adventures 2003 Buy
Rumo Ylämaailmassa 2003 N/A
꿈꾸는 책들의 도시 2004 N/A
Kot alchemika 2007 N/A
The Alchemaster’s Apprentice 2007 Buy
Zamonien. Entdeckungsreise durch einen phantastischen Kontinent. Von A wie Anagrom Ataf bis Z wie Zamomin 2012 N/A
The City of Dreaming Books 2004 Buy
The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books 2011 Buy
Prinzessin Insomnia & der alptraumfarbene Nachtmahr 2017 N/A
Weihnachten auf der Lindwurmfeste 2018 N/A
Il Dragolibro 2019 N/A
Das Einh??rnchen, das r??ckw??rts leben wollte 2024 N/A

Walter Moers is a German writer and illustrator whose Zamonia novels have earned a devoted international readership. Set on a fictional continent called Zamonia, the books are populated by bizarre species, impossible cities, and absurd situations described with deadpan seriousness. The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear (1999) introduced the world, and subsequent books have explored different corners of it through various narrators and adventures.

The City of Dreaming Books and its sequel The Labyrinth of Dreaming Books are among the most popular entries, following a dinosaur author named Optimus Yarnspinner through a city built entirely around literature. Moers illustrates all his own books, and the drawings are as distinctive as his prose. His work blends Monty Python-style absurdity with genuine literary ambition, creating novels that work both as comedic entertainment and as love letters to storytelling itself.

Moers is notoriously private, rarely giving interviews or making public appearances. He lets the books speak for themselves, and they have been translated into numerous languages. German-language editions and translations sometimes differ in content, and the Zamonia books have appeared in multiple editions with varying titles across languages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Walter Moers written?

Walter Moers has written seventeen books across two series.

What was Walter Moers's first book?

Walter Moers’s first book is Kapteeni Sinikarhun 13 ½ elämää, published in 1999.

Does Walter Moers illustrate his own books?

Yes, Moers illustrates his novels with his own drawings, which are an important part of the reading experience. The illustrations range from detailed maps of Zamonia to character portraits and visual gags. His background as a cartoonist (he created the comic character Bluebeard before turning to novels) is evident throughout his books.

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